Wilma tapped on the door and then entered. “Your Aunt Millicent is here, Ms. Rebecca.”
“Oh, dear. I didn’t expect her to come. Have you set up a room for her, Wilma?”
“Yes, ma’am. I have the room at the end of the hall all made up.”
“That’ll be fine. Where is she now?”
“Waiting for you in the sunroom. She didn’t want to talk with anyone until she met with you.”
“Didn’t Mr. Armfield greet her?”
“Yes, but she shooed him away. She told him she wants to see you alone.”
Rebecca wished Vernon and Aunt Millicent liked each other, but that was asking for a miracle. From their first meeting, they had squared off as enemies.
Rebecca sighed. “Tell her I’ll be right down.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
A few minutes later, Rebecca used the back stairs and went through the kitchen to the sunroom in hopes of avoiding any visitors who might waylay her in the front of the house. She paused at the sunroom door.
Millicent Davidson had married a man by the last name of Gainer in the early nineteen forties, but had dropped his name soon after he died in the war. “After all,” she explained to whoever would listen, “we weren’t married long, and I like Davidson better anyway.”
She had never remarried, so at age seventy-nine, she was still a Davidson. She was also an older version of Mindy. Most people who met her said she must have been a beautiful young woman. To any man over fifty, she still was.
“Hello, Aunt Millicent,” Rebecca said as she stepped into the room. “It was good of you to come all the way from Florida. I’m really glad to see you.”
“Hello, Rebecca.” She submitted to the kiss on the cheek Rebecca offered, then sat back in the white wicker rocker with its yellow and green fabric cushions. “Now, for heaven’s sake, please tell me what’s going on. It’s almost too much to comprehend.”
“Yes, it is a terrible tragedy.”
Millicent smoothed a wrinkle in her navy dress. “Has anyone decided who killed Mindy and why?”
“Nobody wishes they had an answer for you anymore than I.” Rebecca sat on the matching love seat. “All I can tell you is what I’ve been told. That Mindy was killed and taken to South Port and placed on a grave in an old cemetery there. As of yet, the police have no clues as to who did it or why.”
“Humph.” Millicent scowled. “It’s no mystery to me. You and I both know Vernon killed her.”
“Aunt Millicent, please.” Rebecca frowned. “I know you don’t like Vernon, but that doesn’t give you the right to accuse him of killing Mindy. He couldn’t have done it. I’d have known.”
“This isn’t the time to get into it, but when it all comes out, you’ll see.” She changed the subject abruptly. “When is the service? What do you have planned?”
“Mindy’s body will arrive sometime late tomorrow. Vernon and I are going this afternoon to finalize the arrangements. I want her buried in her own clothes, and I want the funeral to be as private as possible. There’s been too much publicity and speculation already.”
“Vernon doesn’t need to go. I’ll go with you. After all, I’m family.”
Rebecca wanted to retort that Vernon was family, too, but she was too exhausted to do so. Instead she said, “You’re welcome to come along, Aunt Millicent. In fact, I’d love for you to be there with me.”
“Then I’ll go.” She met Rebecca’s eyes. “Did Vernon tell you I had planned a trip up here before all this happened?”
This gave Rebecca a start. “No, he didn’t.”
“I didn’t think he had. Something he’s doing at the company isn’t right, Rebecca. I had an appointment to discuss it with Willard Brookmeyer next week.”
“I really don’t feel like talking about business right now.”
“I understand, but I just wanted to let you know I’ll be here for a few weeks. I’m going to get to the bottom of what’s happening at Davidson Industries. Since Mindy is gone, it looks like it’s up to me to make things right.”
Rebecca sighed again. “You’re welcome to stay as long as you wish.”
“Thank you.” Millicent stood. “Now if you’ll show me to my room, I’ll freshen up before we tend to matters at hand.”
Chapter 17
Rebecca arranged for Mindy’s funeral to be held in the Old Salem section of Winston-Salem and for her to be interred in the church cemetery. Only a small gathering of people attended because she didn’t announce the time and date to the public.
She wanted to keep it small because there had been so much newspaper and television coverage since Mindy’s body was found. Everyone seemed to want to speculate on how she’d been killed and why the perpetrator of the crime had chosen to deposit the body in South Port, over four hours from Winston-Salem.
The only facts the police had released were that Mindy’s body had been placed in the graveyard after she died, that her death had been ruled a possible homicide pending the results of the autopsy, and that she was Mindy Davidson, the youngest daughter of Walter Davidson, the founder of Davidson Industries in Winston-Salem.
After the ceremony, Rebecca stood rigidly beside her husband and greeted each person in attendance at the service.
Robyn and Max Garvey led the group approaching the Armfields. Willard Brookmeyer, the company lawyer, and his wife Pauline followed them. Then a few more friends and relatives and Wilma. Nick Quimbley was last in line.
“I wish I could have found her alive for you, Rebecca. I’m really sorry it turned out this way.”
“I know you are, Nick.” She held on to his hand. “Please find out who did this to my sister.”
“I intend to.” He squeezed her fingers. “As soon as possible.”
Vernon reached for Nick’s hand. “Thank you for coming.”
Nick dropped Rebecca’s hand and shook Vernon’s briefly. “We’re doing everything we can, Mr. Armfield.”
“I understand, but I’m sure the police will handle it now.”
“I’m keeping Nick on the case, Vernon,” Rebecca said. “I want the person who did this caught as soon as possible. Another pair of eyes on the job can’t hurt.”
Vernon looked as if he might argue with her, but Millicent, who had been standing only a few feet away, came over to them. “Young man, are you the detective on this case?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Then I want to talk with you.”
Rebecca said, “Nick, this is my Aunt Millicent Davidson, my father’s sister.” To her Aunt she said, “This is Nick Quimbley.”
“How do you do, Ms. Davidson?”
Millicent took his hand. “Rebecca, you go on home in the family car. I want this handsome man to drive me home. I have some things to tell him that will make it easier for him to solve this crime.”
Nick’s eyebrows shot up. He couldn’t help wondering what this lively elderly woman might have to say.
“Aunt Millicent,” Vernon said, “I hope you’re not going to try to convince Mr. Quimbley I killed Mindy.”
“Of course I am.” She took Nick’s arm. “Let’s go, Nick. May I call you Nick?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You may call me Millicent.”
“Aunt Millicent, please,” Rebecca said.
“Shush, child. I’ll have my say, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”
“Please understand that my aunt doesn’t like my husband. She thinks he’s guilty of everything that’s happened in this town for the past ten years.”
* * * *
Nick half smiled at Rebecca and didn’t say anything as he moved away with Millicent on his arm. Maybe the old girl knows what she’s talking about. Vernon Armfield would be my first choice as a suspect if Rebecca hadn’t assured me he was home with her the night the killer deposited Mindy’s body in South Port.
With Rebecca looking concerned and Vernon glaring at them, Nick and Millicent pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward the center o
f the city.
Nick was the first to speak. “Well, Millicent. What’s on your mind?”
“It’s simple. Vernon Armfield killed my niece, and I want you to prove it.”
“I’ve checked him out. He didn’t have the opportunity to take the body to South Port. The night it appeared in the graveyard, he was at home with Rebecca.” He glanced at his companion. “I don’t think your niece would lie about him being at home that night, do you?”
“Certainly not. Rebecca is one of the most honest people you’ll ever hope to meet. That’s part of her problem.”
“What do you mean?”
“She thinks everyone is as honest as she is.” Millicent took a deep breath. “I don’t know how he pulled it off, but I would stake my life on the fact that he did it.”
“I’ll be candid with you. I suspected Vernon at first, but everything I turn up shows him to be a concerned husband. He’s been constantly on my back to find Mindy. As distasteful as you and I both think the man is, I’m afraid he’s innocent. Besides, I can’t find any motive he would have for killing Mindy.”
“The oldest motive in the world, Nick. Greed.”
“If Rebecca had been killed, I’d agree, but what would he gain by killing Mindy?”
Millicent shook her head. “I see I’m going to have to take you through this step by step.”
“Why don’t you do that?”
“How much do you know about Vernon’s relationship with my nieces?”
“He’s married to one, and a brother-in-law to the other.”
“True to a degree. Try this: He had a sexual relationship with one, and married the other. Keeps the second one in the dark about business and his outside activities. He’s a very sly fox, that man.”
“You mean he had an affair with Mindy?” Nick glanced at his companion.
“He most certainly did.”
“How do you know?”
“She told me.”
“Wait a minute. When did all of this take place?”
“A few weeks ago. Mindy told me something else, too.”
“What?”
“That she thought he was doing something illegal at Davidson Industries.”
“Do you know what she meant by that?”
“Mindy wasn’t sure what it was. She just told me she was checking into it. She said she’d get back to me when she had it all figured out.”
“But she didn’t get back to you, did she?”
“No. He killed her before she could.”
Nick shook his head. “Can you prove any of this?”
“No. That’s what Rebecca is paying you for.”
“I’m not sure Vernon wants me to stay on the job. He looked upset when Rebecca told him she was still retaining me.”
“Doesn’t matter what he thinks. It’s what Rebecca wants that counts.”
“He has a way of getting…”
“Don’t let him fool you. He has nothing except what he gets from Rebecca. The money is all hers. He wouldn’t dare cross her.”
“Then I’ll consider that I work only for her.”
“You’re a smart boy.”
Once they entered the Buena Vista section of Winston-Salem, they were only a few blocks from the Davidson house.
Nick looked at Millicent. “I find what you said about Armfield to be very interesting, but I’m afraid there’s no basis for any of it. Regardless of what he’s done at work and whatever went on between him and Mindy, it’s still an eight hour drive to South Port and back. No matter how clever he is, he could never pull that off without Rebecca knowing he was gone.”
“I haven’t told you the kicker yet.”
“What kicker?”
“Vernon tried to kill Rebecca six months ago.”
He turned and stared at her. “That’s hard to believe.”
“Mindy told me she suspected it herself. I’ve known it for some time.”
“Just because you two suspected him, doesn’t mean—”
“Rebecca was pregnant. Vernon didn’t want any kids. He shoved her down the stairs, killing the child and almost killing Rebecca.”
“I don’t think she would cover up a thing like that. She wouldn’t let him get away with trying to kill her.”
“Of course she wouldn’t—but as I told you, she trusts people. She believed Vernon when he told her she fell, he reached out to grab her, and missed.” Millicent twisted toward him. “If you think I’m making this up, ask Rebecca.”
“Okay. If any of that really happened, why’d he decide to kill Mindy instead of Rebecca?”
“Because he found out about Rebecca’s will.”
“Oh?”
“Rebecca and Mindy owned the family home together. Rebecca left her half of the house to Mindy, along with half of everything else she owns. Vernon would only get a fifth of the business and would have to move out of the house if Rebecca dies—and he wants it all. In addition, he would end up working for Mindy. So he had to get rid of her first.”
“How would he end up with only a fifth?”
“I own a fifth, and my brother owned four fifths. The girls each ended up with two fifths when he died. If Rebecca dies, since she willed half of her estate to Mindy, that would give Mindy three fifths. Vernon would get only one fifth, and Mindy would have control.”
Nick pulled his car into the driveway of the Davidson home. “All of this is very interesting, Millicent. There’s only one thing wrong with your theory.”
“What’s that?”
“I still say Vernon was at home when the killer took the body to South Port. So he couldn’t have killed Mindy.” Nick got out of the car and came to open Millicent’s door. “But if you can come up with a way he could have been in two places at one time, I’ll be more than happy to investigate him to the fullest.”
“I’ll see what I can find out. In the meantime, mull over what I’ve told you. You’ve got to be a smart man to own a detective agency. See if you can’t figure a way he could have done it.”
“I’ll do that, Millicent. Thanks for all the information.”
“There’s one other thing.”
“What’s that?”
“When things die down, he’ll try to persuade Rebecca to change her will and leave him everything. He’ll go after her then. I want to be sure I don’t lose another niece.”
“If by some quirk he did manage to pull off this murder, I don’t think he’d be dumb enough to harm his wife.” Nick smiled at Millicent. “Besides, I’ve seen them together. I’m sure he loves Rebecca.”
“Vernon Armfield loves one person in the world—and that person is Vernon Armfield.” She shook her head. “In the meantime, I’m going to see Mindy’s lawyer. I want to try to fix it so he’ll have nothing to gain by killing Rebecca.”
“I promise I’ll think about the things you’ve told me, Millicent.”
“That’s all I’m asking you to do.” She started toward the house. “Will you come in?”
“Not this time, but I’ll see you to the door.” He took her arm. “We’ll talk again, though.”
“Of course we will.” Millicent flashed him a smile. “Someone has to keep your investigation headed in the right direction.”
“And you’re just the person to do it, aren’t you?”
“You can bet on it, young man.”
Chapter 18
Nick decided to ride through Mindy’s condo complex after letting Millicent out. As he passed by, the Garveys pulled into their parking space, and Max got out of the car. Robyn drove off again. Nick presumed she was going back to work.
Nick was about to pull into another section when Max Garvey turned away from his door and headed across the street, then cut between two rows of condos. Nick slowly moved his car in that direction until Max tapped on the back door of a unit three buildings away,
Nick pulled into an unmarked space in front of the building and waited. When Garvey didn’t come out, Nick took off his tie, removed his coat, and got out of the ca
r. No people were on the street, so he ambled toward the condo. He rounded the corner and found a neighbor weeding her garden on the side of the building, so he decided to go around back. Large forsythia bushes were planted on either side of the walk leading to the back door of the condo Max had entered. Nick had a direct view of the kitchen through the open window. He was happy the shade was up.
A woman inside appeared to be paying bills. She touched a stack of envelopes on the table and stood beside her chair. Max Garvey wrapped his arm around her waist.
“Are we alone?” he asked in a raspy voice.
“All alone,” she said.
“It’s good to see you.” He brushed his lips across her cheek.
“It’s always good to see you, too, Max.” She hugged him closer to her. “You look so handsome dressed up in that suit. Were many people at Mindy’s funeral?”
“Mostly family. Rebecca tried to keep it as quiet as possible.”
“Where’s Robyn?”
“She had some work to finish at the office. She dropped me off.” He took his arm from around her waist and went to the refrigerator. “Want something?”
“I was about to get a Coke when you arrived.”
He opened the refrigerator and handed her a Coke. He took a beer for himself. “Has anyone asked you any questions, Tess?”
“Not yet. Every time the doorbell rings, I jump.” She sat at the table, and he joined her. “How about you?”
“I haven’t heard from anyone, but I’m sure they’ll show up soon. The detective they hired was at the funeral. He’s a personal friend of Mrs. Armfield, so I’m sure he won’t give up. He’ll probably call on everybody in the complex. Seems the type. The police are going to get active in the case, too, now that they have a body.”
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